IS HE MY FATHER?

'How dare you stop my hand!, lousy women''. Resonating in his head
continuously hindered Sam from concentrating on what was the chapter's
summary. He tried million of times to focus on the book but in vain. He can't
forget the scene he just saw ten minutes before. Now he just only wished '' What
if he never had a Dad, it would be a way more better than this''. Flooded with
memories and emotions, countless emotions, He tried to wipe it but can't,
instead it started picturizing before his two sparkling eyes.
Just fifteen minutes ago he had a glance of wall clock, 11:24pm, mom dad must
have slept and I should too finish my work quickly, he thought to himself.
Summer nights aren't quiet as winter's, he could hear the dogs barking across
the streets, a little chirping of lizards which actually irritated him a little.
''aaagggghhhh, oh hunger pangs,he chuckled. He stood up, wore his fluffy
slippers , opened his room's door and headed towards the kitchen to get
something for him. He crossed the stairs carefully. Without making any note he
passed the hall and entered the kitchen. He gave refrigerator a smile, the smile
suddenly vanished when he heard a scream coming from the other side. He
turned around and rushed toward his parent's room, Before he could knock and
ask 'bout anything, another louder scream , filled him with horror. It was a
man's voice. He didn't wanted to think that its his father but, he could recognize
his voice, still he looked from the key hole.

Shocked with what he saw, he ran with all his strength, entering his room he
shut the door and locked it. Breathing heavily, and tears rolling down his cheeks
he looked at the photo of his father hung on the wall just behind his study
table. This is the man I admired for so long, this is him I always wanted to be?. Is
that him? Is that him? ...Is he my Father? ..

Tears were rolling down his cheeks, That man who is supposed to be my father
and husband to my mother was burning her arm with his cigarettes!!!, is that for
real ??. he was asking himself all this as if it were unbelievable for him.so was it! ,
unrealistic, he stood up wiped his tears and got back to his work. Thinking this
may distract him from all this and he may forget what just happened.
Sam, was the only child of Emma and Justin .They were a happy family, at least
Sam thought they were a happy family, they had a pretty good life. Emma and
Justin were married for 20 years.
Emma was an ambitious girl she always wanted to be a journalist but
unfortunately after the death of his father who was his only supporter in this.Her
mother pushed her for marriage. She didn't wanted to marry instead wanted to
follow her dreams. It was Christmas when her aunt introduced Justin to her
mother. A handsome looking guy with a settled business, appeared a perfect
match for Emma, according to her mother, but she was persistent for her career
right now. Her mother persuaded her saying that she could fulfill her dreams
even after marriage and she also talked about this to Justin. He had no problem
with this.

So on 10th feburary, 1988 Emma tied an imposed knot with Justin.

An year after marriage was quiet good and they were blessed with a baby boy,
life went beautiful. When Sam turned five, she told Justin that as her studies is
finished now and she wanted to work as a journalist in a renowned news
channel. He said "no! Nothing like this is going to happen, you are supposed to
be at home. taking care of me and my child is your job. Don't even think 'bout it.
And first time in her whole married life of about 6 years Justin was so harsh and
rude with her.she tried to convince him but it didn't worked instead he became
violative. He started shouting at her even if she did some mistake, lil' ones, he
started over noticing the mistakes. Slapping her became his routine. Emma
never stood against him just because of Sam. She didn't wanted Sam to grow up
without his father, she knew how it feels when you lose your father. The dog
barked loudly, but it didn't affected Sam. He was still there, outside his parent's
room watching his father burning her mom. The sense of helplessness made
him cry in his heart. The stories he used to read in newspapers about domestic
violence and abuse was the routine of his father, he always felt bad for the
women but the feeling he had right now was unexplainable .Now he got the
reality of all the bruises and cuts her mother had on her body off and on. Just
because she stood for herself today he paid her back with burns. Sam was
downhearted . ''It has to stop now ! Enough of the abuse is done. Mom has
suffered much. Enough is enough !!!. Dad needs to stop !, he said to himself.
Lamenting over this will not change the circumstances, I have to stand for my
Mom. What dad is doing is inhuman and inacceptable at any cost. He decided to
talk to his mother in the morning about this and confront his Father.
''30% of the women worldwide have been subjected to domestic violence in
their lifetime, and many of them even die with this just because of shutting up!
Violence is intolerable, in whatever form or relation it comes. It needs to be
stopped. Marrying doesn't give husband a license to mistreat his wife'',
Sam wrote it on a paper and pasted it on the wall.

THE END.